Coming Home
by Werepuppy Black
Summary: Prequel to 'Sticking Around' by MissLoaf91. The return of Romana and an explanation as to how she survived the Time War.


_**A/N:**__ So this is technically a prequel fic, to MissLoaf91's Doctor Who fic "**Sticking Around**" which is really quite amusing and, in my humble opinion, worth a read for the Doctor - Romana fun of it all. So, erm, yeah, this is the prequel fic to that, which should explain Romana's return, and hopefully convey a bit more of her personality to you. Myself and MissLoaf91 envisioned the fourth incarnation of Romana as being portrayed by Zoe Tapper, so hopefully that will give you a clue as to what she looks like. Okay, so on we go with the fic, and please go read MissLoaf91's, as it is fun

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**Coming Home**

Romanadvoratrelundar, who commonly went by Romana if only because her full name had long fallen out of use, had never expected her second return from E-Space would inform her that in her absence Gallifrey and her people were all but gone, save for one - though there had been whispers of another. Even though she knew she shouldn't care about such matters, she couldn't help but hope that the one who survived … well, if it was going to be anyone, it had to be _him_.

She supposed that, in a way, it was her who was at fault. In a way at least. She had given the order for war to take place. Back in her third incarnation. Oh she had been cold in that incarnation, even more so than her original face. It was often remarked upon that she was rather like an ice sculpture, something which was truly beautiful to look at, but was frozen solid, with no real feeling to it. Despite herself, she rather liked that description, something which she often told Leela, despite the warrior protesting that such things were not for the ears of a bodyguard. Romana waved her protestations off, but for the most part complied with the wishes. She could not be seen to be weak in front of her people after all.

She hadn't wanted to give the order, not really, but it what was expected of her, and her third incarnation had been reluctant to give the High Council any reason to remove her from her position. Her past dalliance with the Doctor had already given them enough cause - in their minds - to worry about her, and any radical decisions she might take. He had been there, of course, dashing and charming in his eighth face, ever the picture of the romantic Victorian gentleman. She highly suspected that she would have been deeply offended had he not shown up to protest loudly. She had found herself immediately fond of his eighth face, though she was wise to mention this to no one. But, underneath the manners and charm that were defining of that regeneration, there had been that streak, that she was sure was imbedded deep within his genetic code, that streak that made him stand up and yell when something wasn't right, when all others would sit and quietly disapprove. It was that streak which she couldn't help but admire.

It was right on the eve of war that she had received the impossible message, coming to her from E-Space, from Biroc, the Tharil who she had so happily stayed behind to help. Well, she had stayed behind to help the Tharil race as a whole, but she had found a good friendship with Biroc. The message had worried her, informing her of the threat of Daleks entering E-Space which - though seemingly impossible - had been foreseen by a particularly sensitive Tharil child.

She knew that she had to lead her own people, but she felt a deep loyalty to those who she had spent time freeing from captivity, restoring them somewhat to their former glory - rulers of the universe was a little too far, she thought. But she had a duty; she was the Lady President of Gallifrey, and she must lead her people into what would surely be the war to end all wars.

Which explained perfectly why she, accompanied by K-9, entered her specially modified Tardis - just right for travel between the different universes - and headed straight back to E-Space. She had a duty after all.

**xXx**

The main problem with E-Space, Romana often thought, was the time difference. It was only subtle, something you would hardly notice if you only spent a little time there - like the Doctor had - but it was there. E-Space moved at what she was sure was a much slower pace than N-Space. Of course, it could have simply been sensitivity to time being scrambled due to the differences in the universes, but she could have sworn that time moved slower there. If that did happen to be the case, it would explain why, when she returned, the war was over and Gallifrey was gone.

Of course, she had highly suspected that something would go wrong without her there, it always did seem to be the case when the Doctor stuck his nose in.

Of course there had been no Daleks in E-Space, as Boric told her with a somewhat apologetic - and polite - smile. There had been a Dalek in the Tharil child's vision however; and they had quietly informed her that they had foreseen her death. However, what a Tharil can see as being the future does not necessarily have to remain as the future, and so they worked to bring her to them, using the one threat they could think of as a guarantee for getting her there. She was quite touched they went to all that effort really.

Her return back to N-Space, when the Tharils finally declared it safe for her to leave, was more dangerous than her previous exit from the other universe. She wasn't entirely sure what had happened, but it ended with her waking up on the floor with K-9 looking over her, in what counted for concern with the little robot dog, informing her that she had regenerated. Her fourth regeneration, and she was only into her third century. She would need to be more careful about how she went about her business, she was proving herself to be more careless than … well, she didn't want to get into that particular train of thought so soon after a regeneration.

She had looked around for a mirror, not for vanity's sake - as she was absolutely positive that though she may be many things which she had yet to discover; this regeneration was most definitely not vain - but to make sure that the regeneration process had been completed successfully, with not fault. In her tenure as Lady President, she had been privy to some of the most terrible stories of regeneration gone wrong, and she quite rightly feared it happening to her. Thankfully she had found all her features to be in their rightful places, and arranged in a way that made her face quite pleasing, if truth be told. She also seemed to have gained longer hair, though she was still brunette; rather like her third face. Which was good; as she quite liked being a brunette. All over she was quite pleased with this regeneration. She had large, blue eyes, framed with thick eyelashes, which sat nicely on her face and did look rather striking with the brunette hair and somewhat pale complexion. Quite beautiful … probably, a voice in her mind cheekily echoed.

She quietly decided, on returning to N-Space, freshly regenerated, and having discovered that in her absence the Time War had ended - in a way - and that Gallifrey and her people were all but extinct, and wasn't that a lovely conversation to have with the people of Alpha Centuri - that perhaps it would be best if she simply remained in the vortex for a short while. To acclimatise herself to this almost brand new universe; for it was brand new, at least to these eyes. When she had felt quite ready to face the universe again, she had set K-9 to work, scanning for any signs of Time Lord life left in the universe. His scan had provided one result, the one result that Romana had truly wanted to see. And, as always, he could be found right on his beloved Earth.

She had followed him in a similar method to stalking, except that it wasn't really stalking. Well maybe it was, but it wasn't at the same time. She had worked hard to gather information on him, entering the dreaded Torchwood, infamous once on Gallifrey simply due to its conception being entirely related to the Doctor, to gain what she needed. Captain Jack Harkness had been over eager in helping her, shooting her sideways glances. She had, of course, informed him that though she may be looking for information on the Doctor, it didn't mean that she shared his tendency to moon over humans, and anyway, he was a fact. She didn't quite agree with that. Jack had responded by telling her that it wasn't himself he was thinking about. That had confused her slightly.

When she finally managed to catch up with the Doctor, she noticed straight off that he had regenerated again, as his most recent picture feature skinny, brown-hair pretty boy in a striped suit. The Doctor that stood in front of her was still a pretty boy, though, she reasoned, the Doctor had never been exactly unattractive, just odd sometimes. While the picture of the Doctor she had showed him with gelled up hair, the one in front of him had naturally big hair, which fell in front of his face. That face which looked oh so very young. That settled it, he was definitely getting older.

She had stood silently in the shadows for a while, when she finally caught up with him that was, too ill at ease to speak to him. Well, not ill at ease, but she did feel strangely sick. There seemed to be a lump stuck in her throat, and her stomach fluttered nervously, something which she found most annoying. She couldn't understand why she was having this reaction, and frowned, trying to come to a logical conclusion. She still watched the Doctor though, as he frowned, looking around himself, obviously sensing her. He turned, so that he was facing her directly, and his eyes opened widely, in shock.

"Doctor," she said, calmly addressing the only other Time Lord left in this universe. The Doctor had stared at her in shock for a few minutes more. When he eventually spoke, there was a crack in his voice, which betrayed such emotion, that for a moment she had found her hearts beats that tiny bit faster - which was entirely ridiculous of course.

"Romana."


End file.
